Scoil Nioclas Naofa
Dunmore, Galway
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 221 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 105 girls, 116 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19744G the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Scoil Nioclás Naofa is a co-educational Catholic primary school in the town of Dunmore, Co. Galway. Enrolment stands at 221 pupils from Junior Infants to Sixth Class. The school teaches the Primary School Curriculum across seven areas: Languages (English and Gaeilge), Mathematics, Social, Environmental and Scientific Education, Arts Education, Physical Education, Social, Personal and Health Education, and Religious Education. The school day runs from 9.20am to 3pm, with infant classes finishing at 2pm. The school participates in the Green Schools programme and holds Active School status. It received a grant in 2021 to support numeracy, problem-solving and computational thinking through technology such as robotics and coding.
History
Scoil Nioclás Naofa is named after Nicholas of Myra, an early Christian bishop. The original school was built a short distance from the present site, and the current school was erected in 1940 as a five-roomed building. Three classrooms were added later. In 1972 an Assembly Hall was added, the yard was extended, and the boys' and girls' schools amalgamated to form a co-educational school. Also in 1972, Carrowkeel National School amalgamated with Dunmore, and in January 1981 Flaskagh National School did the same. The playground was extended in 1987 to include a second basketball court and a sports field. Major refurbishment in 2002-2003 added a Learning Support Room, a Resource Room and a Principal's Office. The school has adopted the Dunmore Coat of Arms as its crest.
Applying to Scoil Nioclas Naofa
For a September 2027 place, a school's formal admissions process cannot begin before 1 October 2026. The school sets its own opening and closing dates in its annual admission notice.
National term dates 2026/27
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Scoil Nioclas Naofa. Individual schools set their own discretionary closure days, confirm exact dates with the school.
- October Mid-Term Break: Mon 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026
- Christmas Holidays: Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Tue 5 Jan 2027
- February Mid-Term Break: Thu 18 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (post-primary schools: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027)
- Easter Holidays: Mon 22 Mar – Sun 4 Apr 2027
Primary schools close for the last two days of the February mid-term week and may use discretionary days to take the full week, so their break can be shorter than post-primary schools'.
Frequently asked questions about Scoil Nioclas Naofa
How many pupils attend Scoil Nioclas Naofa?
Scoil Nioclas Naofa has 221 pupils enrolled, 105 girls and 116 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Nioclas Naofa a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Nioclas Naofa is not part of DEIS, the Department of Education programme of additional supports for schools serving communities at risk of educational disadvantage. Not holding DEIS status says nothing about how good a school is, only about the profile of the community it serves.
What is the ethos of Scoil Nioclas Naofa?
Scoil Nioclas Naofa has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.